Means for projecting images from intermittently advancing film strips



A. E. KROWS MEANS FOR fROJECflID IG IMAGES FROM INTERMITTENTLY ADVANCING FI March 5, 1946,

LM STRIPS Filed Feb. 25, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ARrHuRtT/(Rows ATTOR/VE'X March 5,1946. A, w 2,395,883

MEANS FOR PROJECTING IMAGES FROM INTERMITTENTLY ADVANCING FILM STRIPS Filed Feb. 25, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. AA THUR E. KNOWS A TTaR/vsx Patented Mar. 5, 1946 MEANS :FOR -.-PRiJ-ECTIN.G @IMAGESJFRQM 4 lINT-ERMLTTENTLY is'rnlrs I ADVANGING Arthur- E. Krews, Hastings cn/Hudson-{Ni Application-Februaryr25, 1944,;Seria1 1N0; 523;822

l lairm ouss zsa The invention relates-to stereopticon dBViCBS'TOf thernature wherein thereiisrutilizedwa continuous strip of him having :successiveaframes depicting the ma'tter to "be -exhibited,;the rfilrn being successively advanced with-respect to. an'optical systorn: :by which an image .of the matter-ldepicted-on a frame is-iproje'cted upon a suitable screen.

.Heretofore,: no-attempt. has been madein the intermittent :project-ionof the pictures on rsuccessive .frames to obviate, other than by"blurringj, the same orrby shutting off the-light :completely, the "distractingeefiect caused by :the :advancing movement :fof the film which,x-of course, "would appear on 'thescreen. It :has been customary,

also, .to introduce frames bearing titles and-explanatory rmaterial :among the --various pictures ofQthe: frames; and occasionally there is combined with; such :projector .or stereopticon musical accompaniment and/0r narration, the lsamelxbeing supplied :by theiusual sound-reproducing 1 mechanism. it has beenfound difficult tosynchronize such matter with the projection of thezimag'es; and various cexpe'dients have been *zproposedato this sendv'suchras "the injection into .the ipre-recorded sound 'of :audible signals, sounds of :bells, clicks and the like, said signals-serving ito notify the manual operator of 'the 1 picture when .to

change.

alt is an vohjectaof the rpresenti invention-to: provide 'a'novelrmethod of projection and mechanism which will avoid the objectionable andirrelevant motion effectson the screen during a change from one pictureito'anothergas projected 'froman intermittently advancing film rstripithrough a fiduplex optical :projection :system; "also, "to 1 provide projection 'mechanism which will lend itself readily to :a practical or approximateisynchronization of sound withthepicture showing.

Another object of the invention isLtol rovideza duplexoptical system for the eprojectionof tthe pictures.wherebyxpictures' on the same film strip are alternately projected upon'ia'common field of the screen; the projection from chef-system :being intercepted during the active periodiof the other;

Still another object" of the invention :isito so mount 1 the two "optical systems that ran-adjust merit of Lthe'sameris possible for: registering-projected m'atter'fromeach system upon a'common field oftheiscreen.

A further object of the. invention :is to provide a novel film'strip advancing mecha-nism; including intermittently actuated "feed and take-up sprockets.

:A stillifurtherpbject o'f-the invention is' to provide'ia: novel arrangement'fon 'the filmstripio'f the subject matter to be projected as represented-thy the :successive frames "thereon.

InToarrying-out the inventiomthere is provided; instead of'theusualsi-ng-leoptica'l systemyfor pro jectin'gzan. image upon the screenpa'pair of optical systems 'having'associated' therewithsuitabled-is solving means'or other-means for intercepting temporarily the projected image from ,one :of the systems while an image is projectedcby the other, projection of imageszbeing. effected :alternately from the :t-woh'systems. Provision islma-de for'iadva nc-ing' in :a inovelmanner a -"f1l-mtstrip with respect .tothe iCOHBSBQHdlIIQ lenses 'of-these optical-systems such ithat ia plurality of frames is fedpast a system duringthe:projection interualof a second optical system, whereupomthepnojectedimage from the latter is-interceptedi-and the image projected by. the former system. is viewe,d-.on a-screen. *During'this .periodiof projection by the said formeriopticalz-system,zthe film originally fed; and whichhas Joulged or looped itself between the two systems, rise-taken up ordrawn to 'pOsit-ion a fra-me for "juxtaposition to the secondwoptical system, and-the'cycleds repeated.

It willzbe appreciated; also, that the sequence of 'the frames on the film-strip cannot follow the consecutive arrangement, ':as :issthe us-ual @prac tice, and a novel grouping is set. forth-involving adisplacement along the-filmgforsexample,2of :one frame fbetween, say, zevennumbered-displays;

theprogression order: decreasing sin-zthe direction of-film travelby ;2 for such even-'numberedzdise played :,frames and similarly in the case-of I the intermediate odd-numbered displayed frames. Or, inlother words, frames "designedifor :consecutive uprojection' are. displaced from each other along the strip :by the width'ofwaxlikefnumbersof framesln'excess of onezandpreferably'twofframes; If .;a common drivingsmecha'nismiis :utilize'dsto effect this film shifting and the operation'wofathe sound reproducin'g mechanism, such was :a :turntable element thereof, it will readily ibevappre= ciated that". practical synchronization of f thewvisualand'acoustical e-ffects'maybeihad. The'nature of'ithezinvention, lIOW8V81,"=Wfl1ibBSt betunderstooduwhen: described in connection {with the"=accompanying:drawings, in'which:

"Fig. 1 is ae-side elevation: of the-novel ;projec tion mechanism having 'associatedr'therewithealso sound-reproducing mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a plan thereof vwith portionsibroken V away. F- ig. iiiis raitran'sverse lvert-i'cal -lsection, lenseslremovemitakenl on the rlinees-esjFigfi lie;

the drawings, and looking in the direction of arrows.

Fig. 4 illustrates the novel arrangement of frames upon a section of film strip.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating successive positions of the film strip frames with reference to the two optical systems during the consecutive projection of six frames thereof. v

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a shutter member suitable for use in the projection mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 0 designates a suitable casing or cabinet in which is mounted an electric motor H for operating the projection mechanism through intermediate gearing, as hereinafter set forth. The casing l0 retains also sound-reproducing mechanism indicated by the turntable portion l2 and the pick-up or sound reproducer arm l3 thereof. The latter is pivotally mounted on the top of the casing, while the former extends beyond the rear and to one side of said casing, as indicated.

At the rear, the casing I0 is extended upwardly to afford a lamp housing l5, preferably closed normally by a hinged cover such as lid Hi, there being mounted in said housing two sets of lightprojector means including lamps I! and with reflectors I8 and I8, respectively, and corresponding condenser lenses l8 and I9. Of course, a single lamp may serve, having its light rays the directed through a prism to both of the reflectors. r

The two sets of light-projector means are carried respectively by two longitudinally extending bars and 20' which carry also the projection lenses 2| and 2| for the respective light-projector means, the whole constituting two separate and independent optical systems. A11 of these elements are rigidly mounted upon the said bars 20 and but the latter are fulcrumed on the top of casing H] as on respective supports 22 and 22' to swing about an axis substantially in the plane of the film carrying the matter to be projected.

Provision is made, also, for interceptin an image projected by one of the optical systems during the period of projection of an image by the other. This may be effected by rotating a semicircular shutter or dissolver disk 25 having-a serrated diametral edge, the disk being driven from the motor II, for example, through a chain and sprocket connection 26. This drives a sleeve 21 of said disk mounted for rotation on a tubular hub 28 secured to a standard 29 extending upwardly from the top of the casing ID. A focusing spindle 3D is threaded through the hub 28 and extends freely through the standard 29 to a crossbar 3| connecting through slotted arcuate end connections the two movable barrel portions 32, 32 of the lenses2| and 2|, a suitable knurled head 33 being provided at the outer end of spindle to effect the focusing operation by telescoping said barrel portions 32, 32', as is well understood.

The pivotal mounting arrangement h'ereinbefore described with respect to the duplex optical systems is for the purpose of admitting of the adjustment simultaneously and in like degree of these two systems in registering projected matter from each system upon a common field of the screen in accordance with the distance of such screen from the said optical systems, by converging or diverging the respective images projected by the two lens systems. This adjustment may conveniently be efiected by introducing a turnbuckle connection 34, operating on reverse threads, between therearward ends of the bars20 and 2|! which swing on the supports 22, 22'there-i for to spread the ends of these bars apart or to draw them together.

, There is mounted upon opposite sides of the duplex optical systems on the top of casing ill a pair of reels 40 and 4|, the former being the feed or supply reel for a film strip 42 and the latter the take-up reel for film, the frames of which have been projected by the said optical systems. a d reels e to-be qu pped with the usual accessories (not shown) for accommodating the changing diameters of the film spools during operation. Such film may be of the standard 35 millimeter motion picture type, bearing successive frames, but, in accordance with the present invention, these frames are not located thereon in the usual sequence embodying a consecutive arrangement of the subject-matter, and involve a novel grouping and predetermined order of printing on the film which difiers from their order of presentation on a screen, as will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

The said film 42 to this end is arranged to be drawn past the two optical systems, that is to say, between the condenser and projecting lenses thereof, as is customary in projection of pictures upon a screen, and in the embodiment shown transversely of the apparatus, although a vertical travel thereof would be required if the lens systems were located one above the other. The film strip is arranged to be guided over two suitably apertured gate members 43 and 44 which are located before the respective lenses 2| and 2| and movable therewith by the respective bars 20 and 20' on which they are carried. Pairs of idler guide rollers 45 .and 46, similarly mounted, are provided at opposite sides of the respective guides to hold a frame of the film firmly against the guides and juxtaposed to the respective apertures thereof, and the first roller of the latter pair45 to allow of the formation of an intermediate loop of the film strip, as will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

An advancing sprocket 41 is provided beyond the first pair of guide rollers 45 to feed film to the first gate 43 and a sprocket 48 is provided beyond the other gate 44 to draw film to said gate 44, suitable spring-urged rollers 49 and 50 cooperating with the respective sprockets 4'! and 48 to maintain the film in threaded relation thereto, these spring rollers being swingable away from a corresponding sprocket for convenience in effecting'the initial threading of the film through the mechanism, as is well understood.

The sprocket 41 and the sprocket 48 are arranged for alternate operation from a continuously rotating member 50' driven from motor through intermediate transmission .mechanism 5| to provide the proper timing which is coordinated with the speed of the turntable l2, so that an approximate synchronization of the matter projected from the film 42 and the sound produced through rotation of a record on said turntable may be secured. Sprocket 48, also, is geared to the take-up reel 4| .to drive the same.

If the projection mechanism aforesaid is not to be associated with sound reproducing means, the necessity for continuous and steady operation thereof, to secure proper rotation of the turntable, is not present and said mechanism may be manually operated, if desired. Also, the duration of dissolve and rate of succession of the projections need not then be predetermined.

The said member 50' is in the nature of a cam or element'of a Geneva .movement having an operating portion 52 such as a tooth or group of teeth for alternative engagement with the star wheels 53 and 54, respectively fixed to the sprockets 41 and 48 whereby these may be periodically actuated to advance the film strip the required amount, which, in accordance with the present invention, is not the usual space of a single frame but that occupied by two frames in the embodiment shown. A loop 55 will accordingly be formed of the film between the two optical systems, this occurring during the period of projection through the second optical system represented by the lens 2|. Since the sprocket 41 is being rotated during this interval of projection interception in the case of lens 2|, the effect of the moving film is not noticed on the screen. When projection is effected through lens 2|, the loop 55 is taken up by the rotation of sprocket 48 drawing a new frame into juxtaposition to the lens 2| for subsequent projection thereof when the shutter again clears this lens. As the cycle continues, the film progresses two frames during each cycle which comprises two projections, but the projections of different frames are alternately effected from the two lenses 2| and 2 I This, of course, does not admit of utilizing a film strip having the customary location of frames in succession along said strip for consecutive display in the normal order of succession, and requires a displacement of consecutively displayed frames along the strip, in the instant embodiment equal to the width of two frames. Reference being had to Fig. 4 of the drawings, the consecutive showings are indicated by the numbers I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc., and it will be noted that the'progression of even-numbered frames decreases in the direction of film travel by 2, and similarly with respect to the odd-numbered frames which are positioned intermediate the even-numbered frames, except in the initial instance where a blank frame 42 is necessary and follows the first frame, which is numbered 2. The frames with numbers shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5, indicate that the projection is temporarily intercepted.

For example, in the case of the frame numbered 2, this frame is designed to be projected subsequently by the lens 2| (the optical axis of which is indicated at 6I-6I, Fig. 5) following projection of frame marked I, displaced two frames from the frame marked 2 and in the optical axis indicated at 60-69, Fig. 5. By this expedient, a frame shown, for example, through the optical system having the lens 2I will never be juxtaposed to the lens 2I' of the other optical system.

This will best be understood by reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings, wherein three successive positions of the film strip 42 with reference to the duplex optical system are indicated. In the first and initial position of the film strip 42, the image of frame I appears on the screen and the projection of frame 2 is temporarily obscured. Thereupon, and before the film is taken up by sprocket 48, the image of frame 2 will be displayed, during which time buckling or looping of the portion including frame I occurs, with frame 3 drawn into juxtaposition to the lens 2| by sprocket 41. During the display of this frame 3, sprocket 48 takes up the loop and draws thereby frame 4 into juxtaposition to the lens 2 I When this cycle is completed, the following cycle will provide for display similarly of the images of frame 5 and frame 6, and so on.

To thread the film strip into the projection apparatus, it is not necessary to provide initially the loop 55 between the two sprockets 41 and 48, so long as the star wheels 53 and 54 and cooperating cam 50' and the dissolver disk 25' are in proper relationship to one another, for the first picture, for example the one marked I, Fig. 5, will be projected from the film in the optical axis 60, whereupon the loop will be formed automatically during the projection in the optical axis 6| of the picture marked 2. During this period, also, frame marked 3 has been brought into registry with the optical axis 60, for repetition of the cycle.

It will be possible to prolong with the novel mechanism the showing of a given picture beyond that which would ordinarily result from the projection of a single frame. This may readily be effected by projecting the same picture the desired number of times in the two different optical axes through corresponding association of the required frames, which will then all bear like matter to be projected.

The novel arrangement hereinbefore described, which makes possible the smooth dissolving of one picture into another while keeping the attention of an audience fixed, allows, also, through the projection of closely-related pictures in succession, of attaining a slow-motion effect in the projection. Thus, it might be made to show, for example, the opening of a flower bud to blossom, or a fading away of the external portions of a. machine to disclose its interior. As another exam ple a progressive showing could be had of changes in a map with projection simultaneously of explanatory arrows and captions that can be caused to appear and disappear variously as the accompanying narration requires.

Even in the normal presentation, the flow of pictures makes possible a continuity of effect not obtainable with existing types of slide-film projectors.

I claim:

In projection apparatus for projecting upon a common field of a screen a succession of images from a film strip: the combination with projectionmeans including a pair of independent associated optical systems, a feed reel for the film and a take-up reel for the film; of sprocket means to withdraw intermittently from the feed reel a predetermined length of the film strip to advance it with respect to one of the optical systems and juxtapose a frame thereof to said one of the systems; a second sprocket means to advance the withdrawn portion of the film strip with respect to the other of the optical systems; a continuously rotating disk, having a peripheral tooth adapted for engagement alternately with the two sprocket means to effect their respective advances; and a semi-circular shutter coordinated with the continuously rotating disk for intercepting an image projected from one of a number of successive frames as juxtaposed to one of the optical systems and during projection of an image from frames successively juxtaposed to the other system.

ARTHUR E. KROWS. 

